One-way clutch mechanism



May 30, 1944. y J. E. ANDREAU 2,349,925

ONE-WAY CLUTCH MECHANISM vFiled April 17,. 1940 a @WM I RIVM Patented May 30, 1944 ONE-WAY CLUTCH MECHANISM Jean Edouard Andreau, Daurat, near Leognan, France; vested in the Alien Property Custodian Application April 17, 1940, Serial No. 330,112 In Luxemburg April 15, 1939 Y (Cla 192-41) 7 Claims.

The present invention relates to mechanism interposed between elements at least one of which is rotary, whereby any relative rotation of the elements in one direction is prevented, and free relative rotation thereof is'permitted toitake place in the opposite direction.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism of the type above described which is better adapted to meet the requirements of practice, and which is stronger than those heretofore employed.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear in the following detailed description and the drawing wherein some specific embodiments are set forth for illustration.

In the drawing: i Fig. 1 is an axial section View, the lower ha of the structure being omitted, of a friction clutch according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary axial sectional view showing a modified form of friction clutch;

Fig. 3 is a view, similar to Fig. 1, showing ariother modified form of friction clutch;`

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic end view showing an alternative form of the stops 5, 5 of Figure 1;

Fig. 5 is a sectional and elevational view of modification of the device of Figure 4;

Fig. 6 is a top plan View of Fig. 5;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary vertical transverse sectional view taken through Figure 1 along the line 1-1 and looking toward the left in the direction of the arrows.

Referring in detail to the drawing and first to Figure 1 thereof, according to the essential feature of thefpresent invention, I interpose, between shaft I and wheel 2 (or an element rigid in rotation with said wheel) a self-acting friction clutch device which is controlled by a one-way roller clutch 3 in such manner that the latter produces the engagement of the friction clutch mechanism when shaft AI is turning in the direction of the arrow (in Figure 1) and, on the contrary, causes said yfriction clutch device to be released when said shaft is turning in the opposite direction.

As soon as shaft I starts rotating with respect to the wheel 2, in the direction of the arrow, the self-acting friction clutch is brought into play in such manner as to couple the wheel 2 and shaft I together, and to disengage them from` each other when the relative rotation of the shaft I is in the opposite direction, to permit wheel 2 to continue to rotate, for instance by inertia, if desired after shaft I has stopped rotating.

It will be readily understood that the described mechanism is particularly strong because of the latter position corresponding to the uncoupling offact that the one-way roller clutch 3 (which is a relatively delicate part) acts only as pilot to bring the clutch device into operation, so `that at least the major part of the driving torque transmitted to the wheel 2 passing through the device is under the control of said clutch. Such aA result can easily be obtained by giving the con# tacting surfaces of the self-acting friction clutch device dimensions which are suicient for obtaining acceptable values of the loads per unit of area imposed upon said surfaces when they serve to produce the drive of wheel 2.

Of course, there are many possible embodiments of the mechanism above described within 'the' scope of my invention, but I have found that it isV particularly advantageous, for practical purposes," to make use of the particular arrangementwhich will now be described:

In Figure l, the shaft I Vis provided with twol These plates 6 and 61 are adapted to come into'.

contact with either'of the two following elements:

a. Either a disc 'I located between said plates and adapted to turn together with wheel 2 relative to the plates, said disc 1 being advantageously coupled with said wheel through splines B which permit a certain amount of relative axial sliding displacements of Wheel 2 and disc 1; 4

b. Or with the abutments 5 and 51, the directions of screw threads 4 and 41 being chosen so that when shaft I turns in the direction of the arrow, while the plates 6 and -Bl are held, stationary in'any way, even merely by inertia, `said screw threads tend to move plates t and `|51 toward each other, so as to hold disc 'I tightly be tween them, and that, when said shaft turns in the opposite direction, the screw threads tend to move said plates away from each other and to bring them back toward abutments 5 andj5l,4 this shaft I and wheel2.

Finally, I interpose; between disc I land the mit certain axial relative displacements `of these parts.

The direction of operation of said roller clutch is such that it opposes the rotation .of r plates `I5 and 61 with respect to disc 1 oni;1 inthe.,

and outer annuli. The outer surface of the inner lannulus I9 is formed, at intervals corresponding to the pockets 23, with lwedge-shaped recesses 25 in which the balls or rollers 24 wedge when theA inner annulus I9 is turned relative to the outer annulus 2I in the direction of the arrow.

The mechanism above described operates in the following manner, wheel 2 being supposed to be at rest, due to inertia or load thereon:

When shaft I starts to rotate in the direction of the arrow, the roller clutch 3 prevents plates 6 and `61 from being driven by friction in the direction of this movement due to resistance to movement by wheel 2. Under the action of the screw threaded parts 4 and 41, the plates then move toward each other until they grip disc 'I tightly between them. As soon as the friction between the contacting surfaces of the disc and the plates is sufficient, wheel 2 is driven in rotation.

Any increase of angular acceleration imposed on shaft I in the direction of the arrow will increase the pressure with which plates 6 and 61 are applied against disc 1. On the other hand, a decrease of speed of said shaft I will cause the plates to recede from the discs 'I'and they will finally come into contact with theabutments 5 and 51.

It follows from the foregoing explanations that. the driving torque transmitted to wheel 2 acts chiefly on the plates 6, 61 and the screw-threaded parts 4 and 41, while the one-way roller clutch 3 serves merely to prevent the plates from being driven in rotation by shaft I, by friction between the shaft 'and the plates, when the shaft starts rotating in the direction of the arrow.

It should be noted that plates 6, '61 have a tendency, due to inertia, to perform the tightening and releasing movements above mentioned when variations in the direction of the angular' acceleration of shaft I Vtalle place. It follows that the work to be performed by the roller clutch 3 is always very small 'and without anyrelation to the considerable stresses which are produced in the self-acting friction clutch mechanism proper.

On the other hand, it will be readily understood that the bulk of the mechanism described can. be reduced by increasing the value of the tangen tial'friction coelcient of the active friction clutch surfaces.

For this purpose, the following arrangements, given merely by way of example, may be'employed:

I interpose, between plates 6, 61 linings 9, either dry or working in oil;

Alternately, according to a modification illustrated by Fig. 2, I givefthe contacting surfaces of plates 6 and 61' on the one hand, and Vof disc l, on the other hand, a shape correspondngto V grooves.

According to still another embodiment, illustrated by Fig. 3, I cause plates 6 and 61,0n the one hand, and disc 1, on the other hand, toco-` operate together through the medium of a plurality of discs similar to those used in ordinary disc clutches. Some of these discs, such as shown A and disc 1,

at 1 are adapted to turn together with wheel 2 While the others, such as yIi2 are adapted to turn together with plates 6 and 61.

In all cases, with the mechanism above described, it is necessary to provide for a certain amount of axial displacement of the plates in order to obtain the effective release or disengagement thereof, this displacement varying with the state of wear of the linings of the clutch device.

Now, it may be advantageous to have a constant value of this displacement, whereby the angle through which shaft I is to turn for applying plates 6 and 61 tightly against disc I is also maintained constant.

In order to permit the adjustment which ensures this result,I may substitute, for the xed abutments 5 and 51, adjustable abutments constituted for instance by arms I0 (Fig. 4) fixed on the shaft I and adapted to cooperate with adjustable abutments II mounted in projections I2 provided, for .this purpose, on plates 6 and 61, the relative movement permitted corresponding to the amount of operation of the mechanism taking place before the arms IU engage the abutments I I, from a withdrawn position of the arms.

Although the adjustment of the amplitude of this relative movement can be obtained manually, I have found that it is preferable to provide this adjustment automatically where this amplitude exhibits a tendency to increase continuously.

With this object in View, I have recourse, for instance, to the arrangement illustrated by Figs. 5 and 6.

According to this embodiment, the arm III1 carries the movable contact piece IIa through which the plates 6 and 61 are to cooperate by contact with the arm Illa.

This contact piece I Ia comprises a block mounted slidablyagainst the action of a return spring I8 which yieldingly opposes movement of the piece in the arm I0 in the direction of taking up of the play between the friction elements. The displacement of piece IIEL is produced by a non-reversible wedge I3, itself controlled by a screw I4, also non-reversible.

The head of the screw I4 is fitted with a ratchet wheel I5 the pawlcarrier I6 of which is provided with a finger I'I.- .A spring I8 tends constantly to apply the finger against the projection I2a, with which the piece I I11 is to coact.`

This automatic device .operates in the following manner:

As long as the amplitude of the play between the friction elements of the clutch is such that the pawl cannot move past one tooth of the ratchet 'Wheel I5, screw I4 remains stationary. However, the screw I4 is rotated through an angle corresponding to the interval vbetween two adjacent teeth of the ratchet wheel, when the amplitude of the play between the friction elements increases to an extent that the pawl can move past the next toothv of the ratchet wheel, at the next operation of the mechanism. This drives the wedge and the abutment I Ia is moved forwardly a distance sufcient'to take up the play represented lby the amount of movement of the arm 'Illa before it engaged the abutment I Ia.

In general, while'I have, in the above description,'disclosed what I deem to be practical and eicient embodiments of the present invention,`it shouldbe wellunderstood that I do not wish to be limited thereto since changes can be made in the arrangement, disposition and form of the parts 'withoutdeparting from the principle of the present invention as comprehended within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A one-way drive between two elements adapted to turn freely with respect to each other in one direction and to be locked angularlyfor the opposite direction of relative rotation, which comprises, in combination, a part carried byl one of said elements in xed angular relation thereto, a part movably carried by the other element, said parts having cooperating clutch means, oneway clutch means interposed between said parts adapted to prevent rotation with respect to each other in the direction of drive, and cooperating means carried by said other element and the second mentioned part for moving said second mentioned part into clutching engagement with the first mentioned part and angularly locking it with respect to said other element when said elements are relatively rotated to render the one-way clutch means effective.

2l. A oneeway drive between two elements adapted to turn freely with respect to each other in one direction and to be angularly locked with respect to each other for the opposed direction of relative direction, which comprises, in combination, a disc coaxially carried by one of saidelements in fixed angular relation thereto, a plate movably carried by the other element in coaxial relation thereto, said disc and said plate being adapted to coact together in clutch-like fashion, one-way clutch means interposed between said plate and said disc adapted to prevent their rotation with respect to each other in the direction of drive, and cooperating screw threads carried by said plate and said other element, respectively, adapted to cause said plate to move axially into clutch engagement with said disc when said elements are relatively rotated to render the oneway clutch means eiective, said screw threads further preventing angular movement of said plate with respect to said other element when said plate and said disc are in engagement with each other.

3. A mechanism according to claim 2 further including stop means between said other element and said plate for limiting the relative rotation therebetween so as to limit axial movement of said plate away from said disc.

4. A mechanism according to claim 2 further including stop means including an adjustable abutment between said other element and said plate for limiting the relative rotation therebetween so as to limit axial displacement of said plate away from said disc.

5. A mechanism according to claim 2 further including stop means including an adjustable abutment between said other element and said plate for limiting the relative rotation therebetween so as to limit axial displacement of said plate away from said disc, and means for automatically eiecting adjustment of said abutment in response to the actual displacements of said plate with respect to said other element, in such manner as to maintain said displacements constant in amplitude.

6. A one-way drive between two elements adapted to turn freely with respect to each other in one direction and to be angularly locked with respect to each other for the opposed direction of relative rotation, which comprises, in combination, a disc coaxially carried by one of said ele ments in fixed angular relation thereto, plates movably carried by the other element in coaxial relation thereto on opposite sides of said disc, said disc and said plates being adapted to coact together in clutch-like fashion, one way clutch means interposed between said plates and said disc adapted to prevent their rotation with respect to each other in the same direction of drive and cooperating screw threads carried by said plates and said other element, respectively, adapted to cause said plates to move axially towards each other into clutch engagement with said disc when said elements are relatively rotated to render said one-way clutch means effective, said screw threads further preventing angular movement of said plates with respect to said other element when said plates and said disc are in engagement with each other.

7. A one-way drive between two elements adapted to turn freely with respect to each other in one direction and to be angularly locked with respect to each other for the opposed direction of relative rotation, which comprises, in combination, a disc coaxial with one of said elements, means splining the disc to the element to permit axial movement of the disc while maintaining it in ilxed angular relation to the said element, plates coaxial with the other element on opposite sides of the disc, said disc and plates being arranged to have frictional engagement to act as a clutch, one-way clutch means having one part connected to said disc and another part keyed to said plates to prevent rotation of the disc and plates with respect to each other in the same direction of drive, and cooperating screw threads carried by said plates and said other element, respectively, adapted to cause said plates to move axially towards each other into clutch engagement with said disc when said elements are relatively rotated to render the one-way clutch means effective, said screw threads further preventing angular movement of said plates with respect to said other element when said plate and said disc are in engagement with each other.

JEAN EDOUARD ANDREAU. 

